Albanese Government failed to act when informed of Triple Zero death

Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for Communications
Shadow Minister for Women
Federal Member for Lindsay

9 December 2025

Albanese Government failed to act when informed of Triple Zero death

In evidence provided to the Triple Zero Senate Inquiry hearing today, officials confirmed they advised the Minister for Communications’ office about the death of a customer related to a failed Triple Zero call on 24 September, while she was in New York.

The Department of Communications, through the Triple Zero Custodian was advised by of the death on
24 September 2025, in the midst of the Optus Triple Zero crisis where four other people had just tragically passed away.

Shadow Minister for Communications, Melissa McIntosh MP said, “It is incomprehensible the Minister and her department chose not to alert the public to this death which was a result of the Samsung handsets”.

“Officials today said they ‘are not in the business of sewing alarm’ but given the Optus outage just six days prior this is inconceivable.

“Even today, two and a half months later, Departmental officials could barely answer a single question. The Government has still not investigated this issue and now we have been told there is a second death because of these handsets.

“Two and a half months on, the Minister still hasn’t issued a single media release or held a press conference to alert Australians.

“I have called on the Albanese Government multiple times to issue a public safety warning because thousands of Australians are still walking around right now with these devices that will not connect to Triple Zero if they need to.

“This is not an isolated incident as the Department implied today, there have now been two deaths – one on 13 November and now this new report from 24 September and the Minister is still nowhere to be seen.

“The Minister abandoned her post to go to New York during the triple zero crisis and another death occurred. It’s very hard to believe the Minister, her office and her Department have not intentionally kept quiet about this because of that trip.

“These devices not being able to connect to Triple Zero is a public safety risk. I am appalled the Albanese Labor Government, the Minister for Communications, and ACMA as the regulator have failed to act to protect Australian lives.

“The Albanese Labor Government must get its priorities in order. The Minister is the steward of the Triple Zero network, she needs to spend more time doing her job and less time spending taxpayer money on frivolous jaunts.”

ENDS